


Butterfly Beats

by The_Servant_of_Evil



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Huge Canon Divergences, Self-Insert, no really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2019-11-27 04:25:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18189737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Servant_of_Evil/pseuds/The_Servant_of_Evil
Summary: There were four things in life I was sure of, up until now. Money was needed, love was complicated, good and evil were choices, and everyone needed space at some point. Well, now I suddenly had a fifth thing.Reincarnation sucked.****A guy from our world is reincarnated as Sora. And already, the butterfly beats its wings.





	1. Butterfly Beats Softly

**Author's Note:**

> So Yeah, Instead of working on "Is This All There Is" or "Sharpen Your Blade", I had the urge to write something new. This was what came out of it. I never thought I'd write a self insert fic, but when the muse strikes you, you try not to ignore it...

Fate and time are fickle things. A baby born with a different heart inside, it stays silent instead of crying. It doesn’t scare away the insects outside the hospital, leaving them to their pollination. 

The Butterfly is hungry, and it beats its wings in a new direction.

* * *

 

There were four things in life I was sure of, up until now. Money was needed, love was complicated, good and evil were choices, and everyone needed space at some point. Well, now I suddenly had a fifth thing. 

Reincarnation sucked.

Now to be fair, it wasn’t like the other stories. I wasn’t aware of myself immediately as a newborn. That trope is false. What I can say is that once i was able to consciously recall memories, I could recall my last life. Which did  _ wonderful _ things to my psyche. There was a time where I’d only respond to my old name, because whenever I heard my new name, it caused some disassociation. I learned to respond after I finally managed to accept my new reality.

I was Sora. Yes,  _ that _ Sora. Sora from Kingdom Hearts. If you found this, you knew that much already. Makes me feel like I’m just typing the obvious. So let me get the obvious questions out of the way while I can: I’m currently 4, yes Riku is a bit arrogant (who isn’t when they’re young?), the islands were nice enough, and Sora’s (mine, I guess) parents were definitely going to be worried sick once the events of the game proper started up. There you go, everyone caught up? I hadn’t seen Aqua yet, so I was guessing that Terra hadn’t been here yet either. To be fair, I had no frame of reference for when the wayfinder trio would be visiting… only that it should be soon.

And it was that thought that led me to constantly spend my nights out upon the beach. It wasn’t really my thing, I tended to enjoy indoor activities more, but it couldn’t be helped. Not with so much to do… and hopefully advice to give. Hanging out on the beach, I waited, watching for any signs. I wasn’t expecting any. After all, Riku was home with homework right now. Partially my fault, since I accidentally let slip to his parents that he still hadn’t finished it yet... And Riku was such an integral part of these visits…

“Why’re you out here all alone?”, I heard behind me. Turning around and see the brown hair, I was surprised. Terra was here already? That was… well, already a divergence from the timeline.

“Ah, well… my friend and I like to play out here, but he’s busy with homework…”, I admitted. In cannon, it was Sora’s dad that had rowed them to the island, but I had insisted on showing I could row here myself months ago. Seeing him nod, I looked at him carefully, trying my best to recall the conversation Riku had in cannon with him. “You’re… from the outside world, right?”

“What makes you say that?”, he asked, a touch careful.

“Well, this isn’t an island to live on, and you’re not from the main one,” I reasoned.

“Heh. Smart kid.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh I let off at that. “So what brings you here, mister?”

He smiled gently. “I guess you could say I was… guided here.”

I nodded. “I see… like a shining star?”

He blinked, caught off guard. Whether he was thinking of the light that had led him here, or his wayfinder, I didn’t know, but I figured that my words would have some effect. “Yeah… Something like that.”

I nodded. “How’d you get here anyway?” I knew, but I needed to get him to the right line of questioning.

He looked at me. “...is there a reason you’re interested in the outside world?”

I looked away from him, out to the ocean. “...there’s tale of a kid who made it out and never came back… To be honest, I just want to see if I could. I’d bring Riku with me… and we could make new friends together.” Which wasn’t untrue, to be honest. “But… there’s one other reason, I guess.”

“And what would that be?”

“That kid… they say the outside world is dangerous… so he’d have to have gotten strong to make it, right? I want… I want that as well. To protect Riku… and whoever else I make friends with. The strength to protect what matters…”

He looked like he had just realized something, before smiling at me. “The world outside this tiny one is a much larger place,” he said, before summoning his original keyblade, Holding it out handle first to me. “In your hand, take this key,” he started, beginning the Bequeathing Ceremony. “So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking...its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.”

Seeing him finish, I firmly took the handle. I paused a moment, before letting go. He nodded to me, before smirking. “Gotta keep this a secret, okay? Otherwise the magic will wear off.” I simply nodded, giggling as he ruffled my hair, before I ran off.

I turned back to him, waving. “Thanks, mister!” He nodded back, and I retreated back into the secret spot for now. Give him the chance to leave before I resumed my watching. If Terra was already here… then Aqua and Ventus wouldn’t be far behind.

* * *

 

Riku was finally able to join me, my dad rowing him out to the island. There I just got to relax, having fun with him. The two of us were racing across the beach. He of course beat me (I blame him being older than me, physically), and we took a moment to rest. “One more time, I’m gonna beat you eventually, long legs,” he said between breaths. I was about to continue, when something caught the silverette’s eye. Turning, i had to hold a breath as I saw Aqua. She dropped down, looking us over with a soft smile. After a giggle, she nodded. “One of you two might be special enough… could you tell me your names?”

I nodded. “I’m Sora,” I told her.

She turned to the other boy. “And you?”

“...Riku,” he said after a moment.

She took a moment, looking back to me. She was obviously sensing Terra’s bequeathing. She turned back to Riku. “Riku, do you like Sora?”

He nodded. “Yeah. He’s my best friend.”

She nodded. “So then if something happens, and Sora is about to get lost, or say he starts wandering down a dark path alone, you make sure to stay with him, and keep him safe. That’s your job Riku, and I’m counting on you to do it, okay?” She ruffled our hair, before getting up. Riku moved to walk off, but I wasn’t done quite yet.

“Miss…”, I said softly, turning to face her. “...you’re heading to a dangerous place soon, aren’t you?”

She was taken back for a moment, before nodding. “...I have to. To protect my friends.”

I nodded, before looking her in the eye. “But… don’t forget yourself, okay? You can’t save everyone… and you won’t save anyone, if you sacrifice yourself.” I wanted to at least tell her that. As much as it was wrong of me to say it, I hoped, in some small part, that she would leave Xehanort to be dragged into the dark realm, and stay in the light herself. It probably wouldn’t matter, but… I had to try at least.

She simply smiled, ruffling my hair. “I’ll be fine… don’t you worry, okay Sora?” I simply nodded, even though I knew that I had every right to worry. Hopefully, she’d take my words to heart… and if not, then at least I tried.

* * *

 

Surprisingly the next day, I was taken to a doctor’s appointment. The trade off was I got to go spend the rest of my day on the island instead of going back to school, so I quickly headed to the docks, rowing on over and heading for the back of the island. Ventus and Vanitas would be here soon, I knew it, so I gathered up a few coconuts to prepare. Heading back to the door that would lead me to the front, I was surprised to hear Ventus and Vanitas already talking. Thinking quickly, I rushed through the door. “Fine. Then I’ll give you a reason to fight.” That was as far as the darker twin got before his helmet was hit with fresh coconut.

“Hey! Stop being mean!” Yeah, attacking a dark keyblader with access to the Unversed was not my brightest idea.

Ventus snapped his head up, looking to me. “Hey, get out of here, Run!”

Vanitas looked to me. “You’re lucky that the master forbade me from harming these islands…” he told me.

“Shut up, jerk!”, I shouted at him. “Giving him a reason to fight, when he doesn’t want to? What kind of dumb idea is that?”

“Screw off, brat. Stay out of this.” He swung his keyblade at me, sending dark winds at me.

I wasn’t prepared for that, but Ventus was, thankfully moving in to protect me. “Lay off him!”

The dark heart simply shrugged. “No worries, I just needed him to shut up. Now then… come find me at the one place to forge the  χ-Blade. The Keyblade Graveyard. There, you can watch me choke the life out of Terra and Aqua. Then we’ll see how long you play the pacifist.” He then turned, leaving via a corridor and ignoring Ventus shouting for him to wait.

Ventus looked down at his Wayfinder. “Terra, Aqua… I swear I’ll put an end to this.” He then turned to me. “What were you thinking? Vanitas is dangerous, why would you throw something at him?”

I simply shrugged. “Well, he was being mean to you…” I said simply. “I just couldn’t stand by and let him do that…” I decided playing the childlike innocence side of things would be the best to go.

“That was still incredibly reckless.”

“You sound like my dad now,” I said. “He always says it is reckless of me to head off on my own from the main island. That it’s dangerous.” Ventus took pause. He would be seeing himself in me now, obviously noticing the parallels to his decision to run off after Terra. I took that chance to push on. “And besides, why would I just stand there and let him talk like that? If someone is a bully… sometimes you have to stand up to them. Even if others think it’s too dangerous.”

He paused, before nodding. “Still, just… be more careful next time.”

I nodded. “Alright, mister. Say, what’s your name?”

“Oh, I’m Ventus,” he said.

I nodded. “And I’m Sora. Say… when you’ve saved your friends from him, why don't you bring them here? They can meet my friend Riku!”

He smiled. “Sure, Sora… I’ll be sure to come visit you when I’m done…” With that said, he turned away from me and summoned his keyblade and armor, leaving the world in a better mood than he would’ve otherwise. Seeing my mission was complete for now, I turned away as well, heading for the boat. I need to relax after all this.

* * *

 

After all the commotion of the trio visiting the islands, I was laying on the beach at night, watching the starry sky alone. It was a hobby of mine, back in the first life, so I enjoyed the fact that the light pollution was so much less now. Looking up, it took me a few minutes to notice that I was crying. Reaching up and feeling it with one hand, I knew what it meant. Closing my eyes and opening my heart up, I called out mentally.  _ Hey, can you hear me? _

Opening my eyes and arriving at my Station of Awakening for the first time, I looked around. That was when I saw a heart coming in. Ven’s heart.  _ I heard you… it cut through the darkness around me… I followed the sound, into a sea of light, and found myself here. _

_ It’s good to see you… Ventus, _ I said.

_ It’s good to see you too, Sora. I’m… sorry I couldn’t visit like I promised. _

_ It’s okay. So what happened? _

_ I… You gave me something, back when I needed it most. A second chance. But now, I… need to sleep again. _

_ It’s okay, I know. Just take your time. But… feel free to wake up occasionally. I’d like to get to know you more too. _

_ That would be nice, _ he admitted.  _ Then… talk to you in a bit. _

It was only after I had taken him into my heart that I noticed another one slowly coming in.  _...and you are? _

**_My, my, if it isn’t the brat._ **

That was certainly a surprise.  _ Oh, you’re the mean guy! _

**_The name is Vanitas,_ ** he shot at me.  **_And I’m going to need your body…_ **

_ Right, like that isn’t creepy. How about this though, mister. You seem hurt too, like Ventus. If you promise to behave, I’ll let you rest there too, okay? _

**_Hmph. I suppose i could play along for now. But just wait. One day, when my heart has recovered, I’ll be back to take this body for my own. And with Ventus here… I will merge with him to form the χ-Blade._ **

_ You certainly can try. But by the time you’ve healed… will you even be pure darkness anymore? _ With that smug little thought, I reached out and pulled him into me before he could protest my response.

So much had already changed within a few short days of the timeline… I had no idea what could and couldn’t be affected, but I had to try for a better outcome than what was given. I wouldn’t allow the χ-Blade to be forged ever again. I wouldn’t allow the second Keyblade war to occur. No Box. No Luxu. No Master of Masters. No Fortellers. Nothing.

May my Heart be my Guiding Key.


	2. Butterfly Beats Soundly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can’t change who people are without destroying who they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so. Holy crap. This chapter took me much more energy to write than I am willing to admit. That's why it took so long to get out. Sorry if it isn't the best, I'm currently doing this without a beta. Still, I hope this answers some of your questions... and raises more~

Change comes as quickly as a derecho upon the valley. At least, in the world around you. But people… _People,_ are different. People are made upon a heart, a mind, and a body. A chain of memories ties us together, builds up who we are. Those memories _are_ us. And that’s why it’s so hard to change a person. But time travel changes things. Memories a traveler might hold of a person don’t hold true for the person in turn, necessarily. But that’s all the better for changing someone’s fate.

You can’t change who people are without destroying who they were.

* * *

Aqua was struggling, trying to fly both herself and Terra up towards the light once more. _I have to do something, or we’ll both be lost!_ She head an idea though. She could sacrifice her armor and keyblade, send him up…

_Don’t forget yourself, okay? You can’t save everyone… and you won’t save anyone, if you sacrifice yourself._

Aqua sighed, deciding against that course. She’d be left with no way out. The moment’s hesitation however caused him to slip from her grasp. She looked down in horror as he fell deeper into darkness. “Terra!” But she couldn’t make another attempt. She’d be trapped as well. Grief in her heart, she flew back up towards the light. She had a duty to the worlds, after all…

* * *

I sighed as I sat on the beach, just watching the waves. _I wonder how long it’ll be until I can learn how to summon my keyblade…_

**_It’s probably gonna be a while, brat,_ ** Vanitas told me.

And that brought me to the current conversation. Vanitas and Ventus were in my heart, but Ventus was currently asleep. He had shown signs of waking up from time to time, but otherwise was still out of it. Vanitas on the other hand was wide awake while he healed. And that meant getting to view my memories, and thus knowledge of Kingdom Hearts, the series.

_Yeah, I know that, but still… there a things I need to do, and the sooner I get it, the better this all goes,_ I reasoned.

**_Indeed. Your knowledge of everything… is admittedly intriguing. Seeing how things could’ve ended… I’m sort of glad that we’re not gonna let it end that way. I want my salvation, as I define it._ **

_We’re not forging the χ-Blade, Vanitas._

**_What? Why not? It would certainly keep it out of the old coot’s hands if we did it ourselves._ **

_Because one, I don’t have Seven lights and thirteen darknesses to clash together. Two, I don’t have a keyblade of my own. Three, the other method of pure light and pure darkness is a rush job, and four, that would be playing into Luxu’s hands. Whatever he’s planning requires the box, and that requires either the keyblade war, the_ _χ-Blade, or Kingdom Hearts._

**_Fine, fine, I see your point..._ **

_Don’t worry, you’ll find your salvation someday. It’s just that the χ-Blade is not your only hope for that._

Vanitas hadn’t responded to that, so I assumed he had decided he was done with this conversation. Getting up, I moved to grab a nearby wooden sword. If I was going to be fighting off waves of heartless using a magical key sword, I better get some practice in.

* * *

The common misconception is that a single butterfly beat will always change things. But the truth is much more complex. A single beat is a drop in an ocean of silence. The beat could be drowned out in silence, or expand to erase all of it with ripples of noise. Only time can tell.

Will you watch with me?

* * *

Aqua sighed, standing next to Yensid and Mickey in the former’s tower. “He’s… I couldn’t save him…” she said softly. “He was in my grasp, and I… i let him go…”

“Well gosh, Aqua, I’m sorry to hear that…” Mickey said softly, before smiling. “But that just means we’ll have to work hard to find a safe way into the dark realm to save him!”

Aqua smiled gently at that thought. She turned to Yensid, who nodded. “In time, we will find a way to save him. But for now, the worlds of light need their protectors,” he said. “Master Aqua, Master MIckey. The worlds are in a tumultuous state. Now more than ever, you two must take on the task of keeping them safe.”

Mickey nodded. “Don’t worry, Master. We won’t let you down.” All Aqua could do to respond was nod as well, not trusting her voice.

Yensid nodded. “Then go, Keyblade Masters. You know what you must do.”

They both nodded, heading off to leave the tower for now. One to go home… the other to visit the worlds she had been to and seal their keyholes.

* * *

I groaned, stretching as I practiced my sword work. I couldn’t rely on having any sort of teacher coming to help me, either from the island given my age, or the stars given only Terra and Aqua knew my inherited blade. And with one almost certainly possessed, and the other in an unknown state, I had to focus on what I could improve. And that started with my ability to use a weapon.

Now to be fair, keyblades were magical. They could certainly help guide their wielders in how to use them. That included a fighting style. I mean, how else would you explain Sora from cannon knowing how to use shotlock and keyblade transformations in the short time between the sleeping worlds and the start of KH3? Or reality shifts for that matter. And what the hell was with the attraction powers? At least he was shown flowmotion…

For now, my only ability was swinging a wooden sword. Using a nearby tree on the back of the island as a training dummy, I was practicing my strikes. Imagining it as Xehanort really helped as well. Occasionally, Vanitas would offer commentary or advice, but otherwise left me to it. It was dring one of my breaks that he broke the silence once more.

**_Sora… what did you mean, when you said… that there was another hope for my salvation?_ **

I paused at that. _Well… you can choose to be your own person. Don’t force yourself to define who you are by your connection to Ventus, or me, or even Xehanort. Yeah, it’s your origin. But your origin only says so much. It says where you came from, not who you are._

**_And who am I? I am Darkness. There is no salvation for what the worlds seek to reject… Not withou-_ **

_And why is Darkness so bad? Darkness isn’t inherently evil. Darkness is part of the natural balance, as much as the light. And those forces don’t have anything to do with morality, and the question of good and evil, or who deserves salvation. If only those in the light deserve salvation, what about people like Roxas?_

**_You mean the one who doesn’t even exist yet in this timeline?_ **

_Yes, the one who exists in the other timeline! That Roxas! And what about Namine? Or Xion, or Axel, or even the Riku Replica? Don’t they deserve salvation too? And if they do, why don’t you?_

**_…_ **

_Vanitas… They all found salvation, either in getting to live with the friends they made, or in helping someone… Give it some thinking okay?_

I didn’t hear a response from that, so I guessed he had decided to simply drop the subject. Whether I had upset him, or if I had just gotten him thinking, it would seem this discussion was shelved. For now, I just got back to work on my swordsmanship, striking the tree once more.

* * *

Aqua sighed as she locked the keyhole of the Enchanted dominion. That was the last world she had to seal that she had been to previously. She had even come across a few new worlds that she sealed while she had the time. With all of this done, she now had the issue of where to go now. The Land of Departure was sealed away and hiding Ven’s body, Radiant Garden had some bad memories associated with it (to say the least), and she didn’t want to bother Yensid right now. She didn’t need to just sit around. But thinking of Radiant Garden…. Of Terra…

_Don’t forget yourself, okay?_

She smiled gently. She couldn’t help Terra… but she _could_ help his legacy. Forming her keyblade glider and summoning her armor, she headed off. She knew where to go now.

* * *

A desolate wasteland crossed the long horizon, covered in broken blades. Among the landscape, one thing stood out, a lone pillar of metal among the stone.

A figure in armor knelt, keeping guard. As he waited, he felt something shift in the air around him. _Aqua… Thank you. I promise, one day I will set this right. Until then… Keep watch over the one I chose._ And once more, he was still.

* * *

In the end, whatever changes come, the important thing is that there will always be _something_ . Even if the worlds are consumed, Darkness will still be there. And even in Darkness, there are _things_ that can and _will_ thrive. At the final chapter, you can be sure that something will be there to see it through. But what will make it to then?

I can’t wait to see. What about you, master?

* * *

It had been days since Vanitas had last spoken to me. I couldn’t help but be curious. Even with our last conversation, he would normally have found something to bother me about. Still, I put it off for now. I couldn’t push him, not if I really wanted him to change. So for now, it was training once more. Riku would occasionally train with me, his competitive edge bringing him to try and outdo me. And as much as I hated to admit it, he was naturally better than me.

Right now though, it was just me, sitting on the circular island with the Paopu tree. I was focusing inward, trying to figure out how to access my magic. Something that was incredibly hard, given the silent treatment I was getting. Learning to tap into my mana was entirely foreign to me, given my original life had no mana whatsoever. As such, I wanted to do it young so I could get used to it.

I held my hand out, imagining a spark of some kind of energy come to the tips of it. A sense of dread filled me as several colors started to dance around my nails. I could feel this dark presence in the back of my head. It wasn’t Vanitas, it was something… darker….

* * *

D͗ͅa͖rkèrͣ͂̚.̸̘.͋̕.̬҉̓ ̣da̻͋ͭr̞̋͟k̃͏̐e͔͉r̫͘, ̶̅͜yé͟ͅt ̷̰ͦd̹̩a͐ͭͅr̃ker͞.͈̇.͉ͯ͝.̫

* * *

**_BRAT! OPEN YOUR EYES!_ **

I gasped, breathing heavily as I forced myself to look out over the ocean. _What the… Vanitas?_

**_Sora, thank the lost masters! Nearly thought you lost yourself to that..._ ** **Thing** **_…_ **

I was confused. _What… what thing?_

**_That was the Entity that presides over the spell you were using._ **

_Entity? What the hell do you-_

**_Do you think magic is free? Not everything came after the Keyblade War… some stuff came from before._ **

_Okay, but what was that exactly? What do these Entities do? What’s their connection to magic?_

**_Common magics are perfectly fine. Fire, Blizzard, Cure, even Dark and Holy are pulled from normal forces. Heck, even Demi Magics like Time and Space magics are bound by universal forces. But Ultimate Spells, and spells that pull on esoteric forces, like Ultima and Flare, and even stronger versions of Meteor and Holy, they’re powered partially by Entities. You need to draw on those Entities to use a specific spell, which means taking on an aspect of them while you’re casting it. Easy for something like a summons, or a Heartless, or a Nobody… but a Somebody risks being overwhelmed by it. Especially at_ ** **four years old** **_._ **

I sighed. _And just my luck that one of those spells would be the first I would call upon. So what Entity did I call on and what spell did I use?_

**_Look to your left._ **Doing as instructed, I gasped.

Three of the straight palm trees had just… died. You could see it in their leaves. _Is… is that-_

**_Yeah. You called on the Grim Reaper and used Doom._ **

* * *

“Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return.” Such a good line. Poetry has advanced so far in this day and age. Not that you don’t know, you’ve seen as much as I have by now, if not more.

But still, that line holds a special meaning for people like us. Nothing shall forestall our return. But the same runs true for those who would oppose us. In fact, their return is imminent.

* * *

I had… stayed away from magic for a few days, following the Doom incident. It was a startling revelation, realizing that you had just called upon a spell that could easily kill targets. Enough to have left me in no mood to train at all, really. Plus that feeling of the Grim Reaper… it was overwhelming. I had suffered multiple nightmares of encountering that _thing_ again.

And so with no motivation to train for now, I was laying once more on the beach of the island, staring into the night sky. So many worlds out there didn’t know what might be coming. The Heartless, the Nobodies… these things would descend upon them within a few years, and here I was, scared of what powers I could call upon. It was ironic. The original Sora never had to worry about these entities… guess that’s why he never accessed these spells before though. Why, out of the standard party, only Donald had access to things like Flare and such.

And the thought of Flare, of its raw power, drew my mind to Xehanort, who would probably be in Terra’s body right now. I had no way to know what had happened until I got to go out myself, and that was years away. For now, I was just stuck here, and it frustrated me to no end. There seemed to be no answer.

And in typical fashion for the strangest coincidences, _that_ was when a portal opened up, bringing to the island a familiar set of armor.

Of course it caught me by surprise. _No way… she did it!_

**_Seems like it,_ **  Vanitas noted. **_Only question left then is, what happened to Terra and Xehanort?_ **

Simply acknowledging the lingering question he posed, i instead moved to get up. I was a child after all, I would simply _have_ to acknowledge how cool that was. “Hey, you’re back!”

She turned, seemingly surprised if I was reading her body language right, before calming down and dismissing her armor. “How’d you know it was me?”

I grinned. “The shoes,” I said, pointing at them. Which wasn’t a lie, they were the same shoes as in her armor form.

She looked down, before giving a soft chuckle. “Yeah, I can see how you could use those…”, She admitted.

I looked to her. “So what brings you back, miss?”

“Well, you can call me Master Aqua. Tell me, did anyone else you see summon a weapon like this?” She summoned her keyblade, which I noticed was currently set to Brightcrest, a blade she wouldn’t get until she sealed Ventus away in Castle Oblivion. Which meant that she had most likely fought Terra Xehanort as well….

Pushing that thought aside, I nodded. “Yeah...:”

She smiled. “Well, it seems he passed on his ability to use one to you… I came here to ask if you wanted to learn how to use one.”

I could only nod, trying to contain my excitement. _This is going to speed up my training by a long shot…_

**_But that leaves the question of what happened to xehanort,_ ** Vanitas reminded. **_And don’t forget that we have no idea what she’ll do if she learns you have my heart inside me._ **

_Yeah, but I also have Ven’s,_ I reasoned.

She smiled gently. “I’m glad to hear that… For now, why don’t we go talk to your parents about this?”

Oh.

Oh crap.

* * *

 

_.....aqua......_


	3. Butterfly Beats Spiraling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Control is an illusion. Things will happen without you. It's time to let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh... this chapter fought with me. A lot. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. We're starting to see some more changes...

There were few things that I was more afraid of than the fear of the unknown. What was going on with Xehanort now? What changes would my actions cause? But as I sat outside my house, waiting for Aqua to finish up talking with my parents, my biggest fear was how my parents would react to her wanting to train me to essentially fight eldritch creatures.Mainly because if they reacted poorly (and they had every right to, I had to remind myself), then I didn’t know what else I could do except run away to focus on my training. Well, it may be a bit of an overreaction, but given how my dad was in this timeline, he might overreact himself if he decided not to let Aqua train me and I had to end up training myself in secret, and he discovered _that_ , then I’d be put in lockdown faster than you could say Recusant. And if that happened, well… I’d be bored out of my mind. There was only so much you could do without getting tired of it when you knew there was so much _more_ you could be doing. Like-

**_Stop it, you’re going off on tangents again,_ ** Vanitas told me.

_Can you blame me?_

**_As a matter of fact, yes. Yes I can._ **

I rolled my eyes softly at that. “Of course….” Sighing, I stood up and stretched. How long were my parents going to take?

* * *

Aqua sighed as she sat across from Sora’s parents. Kumo and Aoi were their names, it turned out. Kumo was tall, lightly tanned, with blond spiked hair and green eyes, wearing a simple short sleeved button up and khaki board shorts, the outfit finished with a pair of boat shoes. In comparison, Aoi had long brown hair and wide blue eyes, wearing a loose blouse with a sky blue sarong skirt and her own pair of boat shoes.

Watching Aoi, it was easy to see where Sora got some of his more laid back traits. But she had seen Sora’s hidden depths, when she had first met Terra’s successor. And those more serious moments could easily be attributed to his father. The way he stared the Keyblade Master down while contemplating his next words showed as much.

And to be fair, she had told them exactly what she planned to do. She would train Sora here on Destiny Islands, occasionally heading off to check the worlds, but she wouldn’t be taking Sora off world until he was older. She had explained what a Keyblade was, why Sora had one, why it was so important that as one of the few known wielders left in the world, Sora _needed_ to be trained. She had stayed away from the topic of Xehanort, only mentioning that she was unable to save Terra from a great darkness that she had finally defeated. Aoi would interrupt a few times with questions, but Kumo had remained largely silent.

Eventually, he decided on what to say. “...Tell me this. Why should I trust you with our son, when you couldn’t even protect your friend?”, he asked her, causing her heart to clench on itself.

Aoi gave him a look, slapping his arm. “Kumo, not cool! Can’t you see she’s obviously still dealing with her loss?”

“Exactly my point,” Kumo said. “Look, Sora is pretty mature for his age. I even let him row out to the play island by himself because he’s proven he can handle the responsibility of actually going there, as well as making sure he comes back. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get hurt. That doesn’t mean I’m not scared of what might happen to him. You’re going to train him to fight monsters. That’s all well and good. But how do I know that my son will come back to me after? How do I know that he won’t just up and vanish one day because he got unlucky?”

Aqua bit her lip. “...I can’t promise his safety,” she said gently. “I’d be lying if I said otherwise. What I can promise however is his safety until he reaches status as a Keyblade Master. Like I said before, he won’t be leaving the world until he’s older, and I won’t be letting him explore the worlds alone until he’s achieved the Mark of Mastery.” She frowned. “...I can’t guarantee his safety, but I can certainly do my best.”

Kumo closed his eyes, considering her words. “...You can do so, but I have a condition for your training,” he said.

Aqua looked him in the eye. “Tell me,” she said, ready to accept almost any condition.

* * *

I was just about to finally get some sleep when Aqua came out of the front door, smiling. “Ready to go train, my new apprentice?” I couldn’t help but match her smile with my own. Still, that left the question of what she had said in order to get them to agree...

* * *

_“Master Aqua… if you’re to train my son, that’s fine. But for now, he also has school to work on. Once he’s older, we’ll determine if we should pull him out to focus entirely on your training. But until that time, his school work takes priority. Because if it comes to it and he gets injured beyond repair, I want him to be able to settle down and live a normal life.”_

_She nodded. “...Alright then,” she agreed softly._

* * *

Random changes can occur when time is messed with. Unintended consequences that are unrelated. Correlation rather than causation. It can be blamed on the changing of destiny, but the direct path is often never revealed. And that was the case here, as six of the seven lights moved to new homes….

* * *

Aqua stood across from me, wielding a wooden sword, similar to the one I held in my own hand. It had been a few days now, and the two of us were working first and foremost on my style, now that I had a proper instructor. She figured once I had it down, we could look to summon my keyblade, and from then we could work on magic and everything else.

For now, we were working on building up technique. Of course, you could only get so much from just swinging at a target, which was why Aqua had me sparring against her. She obviously held back, but all the same having a moving target did wonders for my practice. I was able to start learning how to read my opponent, how to predict where they would dodge, how to quickly change from offense to defense and back as needed. Of course, the running commentary from Vanitas helped on that front. Having two teachers instead of one really helped.

Of course, in the dark of night, I would sometimes slip out and practice my technique even more. I really wanted to advance further. The sooner I was ready, the sooner I could get my keyblade, and the sooner I could leave this world to start countering whatever dark forces Xehanort or Luxu were assembling.

That led to my current situation though-

**_Pay attention, duck!_ **

Ducking under a swipe, I brought my wood sword up to block the return strike, rolling away to make room to breathe. Even holding back, Aqua wasn’t exactly going Easy mode on me. It was testament to how strong she really was that even while restricting herself, she was easily slipping around my guard. Or maybe it just showed how shit my skills were...

The following few minutes would be filled with smacks and whacks that hit me and left me with bruises. Thank god for Aqua’s Cure spells. Even with the wounds healed, the pain remained a constant reminder of every hit I failed to block. I couldn’t help but wince as I sat there, recovering from the latest bout. “Jeez… this hurts…”

Aqua sighed, looking over me. “I’m sorry… Perhaps I’m not holding back enough?”

**_Too much in my opinion,_ ** Vanitas offered.

I shook my head to both of them. “No, it just shows how much further I have to go…”, I sighed softly. “I’m only four, after all…”

“And yet you seem so much older,” Aqua noted.

I couldn’t help but feel myself stiffen up. “I, uh… thanks, I guess…”, I said, trying to hide the fact that I couldn’t believe my screw up. I hadn’t anticipated (despite my hope) that Aqua would remain in the realm of light, hence why in my first meeting I had showed her the wisdom of my older mind. Hell, I was older than her, going by just my first life. But here, I was just four years old. A kid who hadn’t faced anything yet that should’ve given him such wisdom… There was every reason she should be suspicious of that.

**_And yet there’s every reason for her to ignore that suspicion. You’re Terra’s Legacy here. She isn’t going to get past that easily. Furthermore, you’ve had a long established history in this timeline for acting older than your physical age. She has no reason to be suspicious because you being childish would be suspicious, as far as this timeline goes…_ **

And I hated that Vanitas had a point. While I did play around like a kid, I had never been able to really keep a kid’s simple mentality. And so here on the islands, I was _that kid who acts like he isn’t one_. Such a reputation would make it easier to hide my unique circumstances.

Aqua smiled gently. “So then… pack it in for the night? Or do you have one more round in you?”

I couldn’t help the grin on my face. “Once more!”

I walked home in more pain than ever, and it was glorious.

* * *

_Who… am I?_

_What… what is this?_

_Am I… Dead?_

_What is dead…?_

_It’s so dark…_

_What is… dark?_

_Is… is this the end?_

_Or… the beginning?_

_I can’t tell I can’t tell I can’t tell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttell Ican’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttellIcan’ttell_

_……………………………………………………………………………._

_………………………………………………………………………………….._

_…………………………………………………………………………………_

_Master… Help me..._

* * *

Aqua looked at the kid before her, a bit surprised. “You want to… what?”

Riku smiled confidently. “I want you to teach me how to fight, like how you’re teaching Sora, please!”

She sighed softly. “Look, it’s… Sora had the ability to one day use the same weapon as me…”

“I know, the keyblade right?” He rubbed the back of his head. “I… might have watched a few of your training sessions…” Seeing the look he was getting from Aqua, he quickly continued. “But just because I don’t have a keyblade, doesn’t mean I can’t learn to fight either. I bet there are plenty of magic users or sword fighters who don’t have keyblades. I can be like them instead!”

Aqua bit her lip gently, before sighing again (she couldn’t help but notice how often she’d been doing do since she met Sora). “Fine… but just like with Sora, I’m going to talk with your parents first, okay?”

He nodded. “Alright…”

* * *

Entry 1.

Theories on the River of Time.

Wmex qf phpsmqic, eyl ywe mxv hnzcmvik, bb pyq fw oqruhh sl i egyij. Rwh adr uxzgylrdr kuyqkw rwhp osutbvmq mf mpr plzwk, jhr bsm vialrx uaiaeh xzx khpuifm. Qg mqpq fwicv jgkenpg, efw buc umnxz acyij yweehxk mw qm mykm buyw. Ml’l euw wmex beyyid ba fm… ivmlbeywmfz. Tvklxww. Ahph M utv pfdryx eucui A tu, osw M ztdr rr pwtdr kb fgwg ockmfw, iab wlwg micqxmttyw uilnza, drvyxbggqk womewwlago. Osw xzxv jfdx al buc ssagb?

Osw twkpnnv xztb vq qsl mpr mqpq lwyswmgg. Gbs viw, t zvthv ggtl dosol wac zeq… ucg fxqsga pyq aswm gfusmzp gfh vaome. Ndvl hn jfb M txtvcyi ox pnth xg emnth smk jbbb fwaqab lw laig rlqw mznthp sl er iqso bb bloc ohzxq dw ay er dlkzm buc fyjkmar kisw wa.

Zxx znunlv gsg enbh xzkwhek xzx zvthv. Ay qaqwisw ws dlkzmqae wlw vcephrl… ppnr lj A ywhekx lamz zb aswqae lr s sqt xdk? Tr rhksmfz nemp agktqjlrw mw jmupv eqac… fsmel fsfl s mpvlj edewj kh xg dmrn pc thll ukmdx beyyidbvt rkvgnou rlqw, kmyywmnx bb kb sog bvkhpagm?

Ggpi lh arc lj A via udhw tb njo, sj bn V’jo fw lenjosoxl hn.

-Unkown

* * *

It had been two years since my training started, and one and a half since Riku joined me. Ven hadn’t woken up yet, no keyblade had been summoned yet, and no magic had been attempted since the Doom incident. Relatively boring sounding, am I right? Hence why I didn’t write much down about it. I was relaxing on the beach currently, just me and Vanitas, looking out. _Say, do you think I’ll ever summon Unversed?_

**_Oh wow, it’s like you really don’t want Aqua to trust you…_ **

_Hey, I’m just asking!_ , I defended myself. _They’d be really useful in a fight…_

**_Yeah, and I’d be picking up the pain!_ **

_But I’m saying if I summoned them, using my emotions…_

**_Yeah, not gonna work. Your heart is whole._ **

_Fine, it was just a genuine thought line…_ I sighed, dropping the topic. Getting up and heading for the boats, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. A black coat entering the secret spot, the door to the heart of the world. _Okay, red alert._

**_Yeah, that’s… not Xehanort,_ ** Vanitas noted. **_And that certainly isn’t Luxu…._ **

_Which doesn’t leave a comforting number of options,_ I noted. I moved to follow him into the cave, sliding inside. Looking around, I saw… nothing. No one was in there… no, they were here. Behind me! I turned, nly to see a hand cover my face, as I found myself dropping unconscious.

* * *

The man sighed, letting Sora drop to the ground. “And with this, his Dive can begin… if he’s so insistent on changing the timeline, then let’s change it up well…” He smiled. “This worldline is going to be interesting…” With but a thought, he slipped a jewel into the boy’s pocket. “Hold onto that for safekeeping… Now to see how my silly apprentice is doing, and… nudge him, in the right direction.” With that, he opened a corridor and left.

* * *

_Falling…._

_Deeper…_

_Darker…_

_Where am I…?_

_This is…_

_I can’t see…_

_Vanitas...._

_Aqua…._

_Ventus…_

_Riku…_

_Can anyone hear me?_

* * *

_….Sora…._

_I hear you…._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who else is ready for the dive to the heart? Perhaps a journey to the Final World? Probably not...
> 
> As you can see, it's been two years since BBS, and Kairi hasn't arrived on Destiny Islands yet like she would've in cannon. Guess we'll see what happens to her later...
> 
> Have fun decoding the first of my Secret Reports. The Cipher Key is Destiny.


	4. Butterfly Beats Sorrowfully (Dive to the Heart)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inside, Outside, it doesn't matter. Know yourself, and you can win any conflict.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only took me three days to write this one. What wonders a lightning bolt of motivation can do for you, eh? Enjoy my longest ever chapter!

_ Dropping… _

_ Deeper… _

_ Diving… _

_ I can’t stop…  _

_ Someone help me… _

_ Are those… _

_ Doves…? _

* * *

I finally managed to catch my breath, feet landing on darkness as I looked around, realizing where I had ended up. “No way…”, was all that escaped with my breath as doves scattered from below me. As the flew off, light shone from below as I saw the stained glass beneath my feet. My Station of Serenity.

Well, given I was Sora now, it would make sense that mine looked similar. Looking similar to how it did in Birth By Sleep, the seven items were instead taken up by faces familiar to me. My own one sat in the center, surrounded by Riku, Aqua, Ventus, Terra, Vanitas, and strangely enough, the cloaked hood that I had seen before coming here. That was certainly confusing. But thankfully I was soon distracted by what came next. 

_...Sora… _

I blinked, looking around. “That’s…”

_...I heard you call. It’s me, Ventus. _

That certainly caught my attention. “Ven? God, it’s been years…”

_ Indeed…  _

“You certainly seem… awake,” I noted.

_ I’m getting there…  but I think you’re here for another reason. Come on, take a step forward. Don’t be afraid. _

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fair enough…” I walked forward, moving into the center of the Station. As I did, three pillars slowly rose up from the ground. 

_ What was the next part… oh, right! Power sleeps within you. If you give it form, it will give you strength. Choose wisely. _

I nodded, looking around and weighing my options. 

The Sword. “The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction.” The ability to take the fight right to my enemies. To fight directly, to clash with them and overpower them. 

The Shield. “The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all.” The ability to weather when the fight comes to me. To defend everyone, to protect them from enemies and outlast them.

The Staff. “The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin.” The ability to change the fight with grandiose spells. To change fate, to heal your allies and ruin your enemies.

_ Sure, take the fun out of my script. _

I could hear Ventus pouting at that, drawing a chuckle from me. But still, I had to take my time and figure out what I wanted. With the sword, there was no doubt I’d be strong enough to fight my enemies, but that was strength I couldn’t use in my child state, and I would develop such skills naturally through training. And the ability to protect others… well, to be frank, I was the kind of guy that was more offensive than defensive. As such, the staff seemed the obvious answer. I could certainly use the help in learning magic, especially given...

* * *

D͗ͅa͖rkèrͣ͂̚.̸̘.͋̕.̬҉̓ ̣da̻͋ͭr̞̋͟k̃͏̐e͔͉r̫͘, ̶̅͜yé͟ͅt ̷̰ͦd̹̩a͐ͭͅr̃ker͞.͈̇.͉ͯ͝.̫

* * *

...that. I had a feeling that this choice would certainly help me in dealing with Entities like the Grim Reaper. It was with no hesitation that I approached the staff, grabbing it. “This is the power I seek…” It vanished in a flash.

_ Then your path is set. Now… what will you give up in exchange? _

That was easy as well. I moved to the shield, tapping it. “Here we go…”

_...you need to actually grab it, Sora. _

I rolled my eyes, grabbing the shield and letting it disappear. “Fine…”

_ You’ve chosen the Power of the Mystic. You’ve given up the Power of the Guardian. Is this the form you choose? _

I nodded. “Yeah…. It is,” I confirmed. With those words, the pedestals dropped into the Station of Serenity, shattering it as I dropped down into the darkness.

* * *

_ I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately… _

_ Like… is any of this actually happening? _

_ Or… am I trapped in a dream? _

_ Will anything I do matter? _

_ Can I ever change the fate of those I have grown to care for? _

_ These characters… they feel so real now. I can’t…  _

_ I can’t run from this. _

* * *

I came to on another glass station. This one looked familiar… it was Ventus’s standalone station. And in my case, my Station of Calling. “Right then… so this is the point where I start fighting, yes?”

_ Do… do I even need to be here? _

“Of course, Ven!” I called to him, grinning. “Besides, when else are you going to get the chance to give the script?”

_ Roxas. _

“Ouch. Point taken…”, I winced, rubbing the back of my neck. “Carry on.”

_ Now then… you’ve gained the power to fight. Bring it forth. _

I nodded, holding out my hand. A light flashed, and in my hand arrived a Keyblade. Its weight was unfamiliar, but its design was unmistakable. “Void Gear…” 

_ That’s-! _

“Yeah… Vanitas’s Keyblade,`` I murmured. I wasn’t sure why I had summoned it, but I knew it wasn’t mine. It felt… well, not  _ wrong _ to hold it, but I knew it wasn’t  _ mine _ . “...guess I’ll manage,” I said, taking up a stance. 

_...yeah. Now. There will be times where you have to fight. Keep your light burning. _

I nodded as I watched a few small creatures rose from the glass. Shadow Heartless, as usual. My first time facing them sure, but fighting was old hat for me. I was far from being as capable as Ventus or anyone from cannon, but simple Shadows? That was easy enough for me. I quickly cut through the enemies, taking out each one that rose up.

_ Good, you’re doing real good. Time to continue forward though. _

I nodded as I saw more platforms rise in the distance, glass panel walkways appearing for me to use to cross the void. Taking my time as I crossed over, cutting through any heartless that neared me, I moved onto the next pillar, noting that it was still looking like Ventus’s Station. Making my way through the second pillar and up to the third, I sighed as the battles ended, seeing a chest there. 

_ Tell me, do you know how to open it? _

“I feel insulted,” I grumbled. “That wasn’t even in the script. And how do I somehow keep my items leaving the dive to the heart?” That was the strangest thing to me, looking back on the games. Opening the chest before me, it indeed held a Potion. Storing it in a pocket, I turned, and saw a door, moving to it, before light consumed my vision.

* * *

When my vision returned to me, I was standing somewhere I didn’t expect to be standing. A breathtaking town filled with greens and purples, the centerpiece of it a giant clock suspended in the hollow area of a giant building. And behind me, a giant square within the town, a fountain running. “This is… Daybreak town?”

_ This is…. Why does it feel familiar? _

“That… I’ll tell you more after my Dive, if you’re still awake,” I said to Ven. “In the meantime…”

_ Yes… For now, why don’t you tell me more about yourself? _

I turned around, looking at the Fountain Square, to see...five figures? That was weird, it was usually three. 

Moving to the first figure, a female, I noted how she appeared. She had long black hair, doing nothing to hide her pink star earrings or light brown eyes. She was wearing a grey, zippered shirt under a black vest, and a studded belt around her black skirt. A red belt wrapped around her left arm, and two encircled her ankle high black boots, knee-high stockings shooting out of them. “Skuld,” I noted softly. A leader from the Dandelions… Subject X.

She smiled at me softly. “What is most important to you?”

I took a moment to really think about my answer. “...making a positive impact.”

She shook her head, keeping her smile. “Is that really such a big deal?”

I bit my lip. “...more than you could possibly know,” I said, before moving to the next figure. 

As opposed to the female figure before, the next person in line was certainly male. He had curly, silver hair and blue eyes. Wearing a white shirt under a black vest with grey accents, he had dark grey pants and black boots. A red scarf around his neck and a tan pouch around his waist finished out his look. “Ephemer,” I said gently. The fallen Dandelion, most likely being the Dark Inferno that was found in the Keyblade Graveyard. How had he met his end?

He grinned. “What do you want out of life?”

“...A chance to be happy,” I decided. Of course I wanted to be happy, but I would take it with my own hands. I just needed the chance to do so.

He nodded. “A chance to be happy, huh…”

Remaining silent this time, I moved to the next person. He had gray eyes and black spiky hair, drooping down over his eye. He wore a black coat with rolled up sleeves, gold buttons, and a large collar, paired with grey pants, black cowboy boots, and silver cross-shaped earrings. His face was concealed by a black fedora that sports a black feather with a tan streak down the middle. The tame came out of lips, biting faster than I intended. “Brain.”

He simply nodded. “What are you afraid of?”

“....Failing to save the others,” I said softly. 

He smirked. “Is that really so scary?”

I wanted to punch him for that, but… It wouldn’t matter. He was a figment. “More than you could ever deign to realize or acknowledge.” With that I moved on.

The next was certainly a shift from the others present. Before me was a young woman who hid her face under a blue snake mask. Her light blue, hooded cloak covered a robe, shirt, and sash that are all a darker shade of blue; turquoise tassels decorated the cloak’s bottom edge. “Master Invi…”

“Sora,” she responded, her covered face betraying nothing. “Tell me… What would you sacrifice to create a better future?” 

I was caught off guard by her using my name. “You… know me? Wait, are you even a figment?”

I saw the cloth covering her lower face shift gently. I could only guess if she was smiling now. “I do, Sora… and no, My companion and I are not figments like the Dandelions here.”

“But then… how are you in my Dive to the Heart?” I felt the blood drain from my face a bit. “...don’t tell me your heart is inside me as well?”

She giggled. “No… but the heart does not easily lose connections, even through time itself. We simply used that connection to come pay you a visit from… well,  _ when _ we are,” she told me. “Now, enough about that. You’ll learn more eventually. Will you answer my question?”

I sighed, slightly confused, but nodding. “...I’d sacrifice my morals,” I admitted. I had in my last life, after all. I was the kind of guy to do it again…

She nodded. “Be careful of that. You are much better than you give yourself credit for.”

“Thank you, Master…”, I said softly, giving a light bow.

She simply waved me off. “Go on, finish your dive,” she said. With that, she slowly faded from the Dive. 

With that, I moved to face the last guest. It was a girl who hid her face under a white fox mask that had a blue trim. Her pink, hooded cloak was decorated with light green tassels and covered a white robe, light purple shirt, and light purple sash. “Master Ava,” I said, giving a slight smile. 

Her lips twitched, matching my own. “Sora,” she said, smiling. “How are you doing?”

“Besides seeing a guy in a dark cloak heading to the heart of my world, just prior to entering my Dive to the heart? Reasonably concerned.”

Her smile grew, gaining sincerity. “Do not worry. I can assure you the Destiny Islands remain untouched…”, she said. 

That thankfully calmed my heart for a moment. “Thank you…”

“Anything for one who will become a friend,” she assured. “Now, for my question. What’s your goal for the changes you’ll make?”

I sighed, looking down. “...i have so many. I just… want to do what I feel is right.”

“That can lead us the wrong way…”, Ava mused, closing her eyes. “I know it led me the wrong way… Still, there aren’t many better answers, I think,” she finished on a higher note. 

“Thank you Master Ava,” I said, smiling sadly. 

“Don’t thank me yet,” she said. “Give it time… You can thank me in your future. I can’t wait to see who you become.” With that, she faded away like her fellow Foreteller. 

_ ….You want to make a positive impact. A chance to be happy. You’re afraid of failing to save others. You’d sacrifice your morals to create a better future. In the end, you want to make the changes that feel right. Is this the path you seek? _

I nodded softly at that. 

_ Your adventure begins in the dead of night. Your road won’t be easy, but a rising sun awaits your journeys end. _

“Nothing unexpected there,” I said, sighing gently. “Shall we continue?” The words had barely left my lips when my vision faded once more. 

* * *

When I came to, I was on a new Station, one I recognized. With two familiar forms on it, a mix of red and green, and the desolate landscape in the background, this was the fused station Ventus and Vanitas had fought upon. My Station of Awakening. 

_ The closer to the light you are, the greater your shadow becomes… _

I turned, seeing a figure rise out of my shadow. “That… doesn’t look promising,” I noted, seeing a black coat traced with magenta flames over its sleeves and coat tails. Red eyes poked out from under it. A dark flash appeared behind it, what I could only assume to be its Nightmare symbol branding itself on its back. “Oh jeez. Anti Black Coat Nightmare, huh? I better not be expected to win…”

It rushed forward, lashing out at me as I jumped back, summoning Void Gear to fight. When it got close again, I lashed out at it, aiming for the head. It thankfully connected with a satisfying crunch, flying back. I moved in to continue the attack, knowing that it wouldn’t be enough. It wasn’t human, it could keep going from that.

A few hits later, it teleported behind me, running a poison blade down my back and sending me flying towards the edge. “Shit!” That hurt more than I could describe, especially given that I was  _ six years old _ at this point. Getting up slowly, I-

_ MOVE! _

I rolled, dodging another attack, jumping back bit by bit as the Nightmare kept on me. I could feel my back screaming at me; a touch of iron entered my taste. “Oh, blood, fun…” I grunted. 

_ Shit… this wasn’t supposed to be your opponent! _

“Yeah, I figured. I thought it would be a darkside or something,” I ground out, dodging a hail of poison attacks. “Any help?”

_ It’s still a Dive to the Heart. Outside help is impossible. _

“And yet Ava and Invi wormed their way in.” My retort was clipped, frustrated with the sudden difficulty spike. “I know you said my adventure began in the dead of night, but still, this is ridiculous!” 

In my hand, Void Gear warmed up softly, as if humming. It felt as if I was holding something else. Something foreign, yet familiar… something recent...

* * *

_ I _ _ nner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. _

* * *

_ Warmth.  _

_ Life. _

_ Consumption. _

_ Death. _

* * *

I held out Void Gear, pointing it at the Nightmare. I gathered the warmth from within myself, and within the Keyblade, and brought it to the tip, and with a push of my magic, ignited it. “FIRE!”

My first spell in two years. To those who are only used to spellcasting through a digital media would never be able to understand the rush that casting this flame brought forth in me. Watching the fire gather at the tip of the sword, it rushed from it, flying directly into the Nightmare, sending it back with a conceptual weight. The smile on my face threatened to tear it apart as I casted again and again. “FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!”

_ Hah! That’s incredible! How did you figure that out? _

I smiled. “I just… knew,” I said, not really understanding how I had pulled the knowledge from Void Gear. But it could wait. “For now, I-”

_ DUCK! _

Ducking without question, the red “x” soared above me. “Thanks Ven.”

_ Of course! Now kick its butt! _

Fire rushed before me, the initial magic attack making the Nightmare defend to it, and not my follow-up strike, cutting through it. It dispersed into darkness as I caught my breath. Feeling a weight in my pocket, I remembered the Potion I had found earlier, taking it to heal up from the back strike I had taken. “That was… Jesus, I knew fighting was physical, but training and real fighting…”

_ You never really find yourself prepared for it. _

Of course Ven would understand. “Yeah… care to… to wrap this up?” As I said that, a pool of darkness opened beneath me, dragging me down into it.

_ Of course. Don’t be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all. And don’t forget.  _

_ You are the one who will open the door. _

* * *

Elsewhere, Ava and Invi were sitting together upon a clocktower. “He was such a precious kid, during his childhood,” Ava said. 

Invi smiled. “You and I both know he isn’t a child in anything except body, Ava.”

Ava sighed. “I know, I know… still, compared to how he is now…”

“Indeed,” a new voice said, a black coat arriving as they sat on Ava’s other side, handing them both Sea Salt Ice Cream. “Sora was a very different person back then…”

“Master, was putting the Nightmare in the Dive really necessary?”, Invi asked him. “It might have been a bit much…”

“Mmm… perhaps,” he mused. “But it will certainly provide him a much better idea of what he’ll be charged with facing in this worldline.”

Ava nodded. “So you have said, but…”

“Relax, Ava, Invi, I severely weakened it. It was merely a fraction of the power of the one Riku fought in that other worldline.” The Master of Masters waved his hand. “And I had to finish synthesizing my gift for him as well.”

Ava looked at him. “You mean… you forged him a Keyblade?”

“Of course! The final part to awaken his own was his magic, which he awoke thanks to the Dark Fragment’s lent Keyblade. He’ll be able to use his own once he awakens. Quite the beauty… a nostalgic one at that,” he said. “Oh, I left him another gift.”

Invi looked closer at her master. “...you left him the Jeweled Pendant?”

He nodded. “He’ll need it once the worlds go under…”

* * *

I groaned, waking up with a knot in my neck. “That’s….”

**_Welcome back, Brat._ **

_ Oh, hey, Vanitas. How are you doing? I just got my ass handed to me… _

**_Yeah I noticed. I couldn’t talk with you and interfere, and for some reason your Keyblade was blocked, so I had to lend you mine._ **

_ That explains why I had Void Gear… Thank you, Vanitas. _

**_Heh. Not a problem, Sora._ **

_ Oh you got him to be polite I see. _

Oh.  _ Oh, Hi Ven. _

**_So Sleeping Beauty wakes up, eh?_ **

_ Nice to see you too, Vanitas.  _ _ Hold on… _

**_Wait what are-_ **

**_Ow! Damn it, idiot!_ **

_ Much better! _

**_I'd argue otherwise. Now before you start asking questions, why don’t we go have a private chat? I’ll explain everything you’ve missed. Oh, and try your Keyblade, Sora. It seems to have unlocked once you casted Fire._ **

Feeling the two of them recede back into the combined Heart, I instead held a hand out, appearing in a brilliant flash as I stared at it. Three gray pillars connected the silver and red head and guard of the blade. Red filigree wrapped around the body, and a red heart and small amber jewels in silver filigree formed the teeth. From the pommel, a white silver chain held an amber heart shaped jewel. I absolutely recognized it, I just couldn’t explain it.

How the fuck did I have the Ultima Weapon?

* * *

Entry 2

Followup on Theories on the River of Time 

M3, B, II I III, BBS, 1153, NG AM KH

pufij gkkin orfzx kuduk lmuyw wuoug mzcbh requw qpwve hqzjt csyzg kcwyw zvprg kshmp hqrte omoch oiphm bulzh vqnar ztkio zjfpl bwyec hmzss iszzt liqxu dobzc aapcd uvqqr jraul uockx zuiot xwoip ozxhr kqemt haovc fhbis omjxw pzhtc olkoz lmart ysfwv awfyd haxih laqbx pcbgp hququ kvjzw ienlo tyhvd znbga qanaj fwsay ohgzs tcike bhdzm srzsc nbzig ggopw ojuvi xyypy ufmrb cghxh luwht fnbzv zozwg ftywo zygar pozfu ihpfw xrgjn fakth vsdbo rcvlo mlxut xuzdt eorsi txohy ydqaa tjhfj mpwnu mbtsm stalj wynxd oqnky jfcay dalgn zgbrg csgas eeysw zumab wedbh yuzer despq zjvxn wmubz qmztj sfpat fxedk vwsue xqznc qyriw hrzkj xxiji gkvnr lhdfi agnez oxilo pcqwk qlxlz bndkv dlegq rdvdp cffrn goyaw hrbpa xsajk gatbi ylxsc zdrez psxgt ldsnb chscr xvzpx wgqbu ghqrx xcpdx ojzdx bonvk zktvf uqqwd cuaub kszqd ycbvm fmhpg nxxsj vdrmq rpfxx bnjyy yfacy afdeg xcgpv nnjoa guaii vtmjr slqnm heecj icoja qjchc aqkfm wkfqo coqgd iqy

-Unkown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now Sora has Ultima. Not gonna really need a new keyblade with that, eh? Don't worry, he'll have his own ways of getting better equipped. And He's finally casted a spell! Hooray for the burgeoning mage!
> 
> And the Foretellers have an interest in Sora for some reason. His life is certainly going to be interesting...
> 
> Secret Report 2 has been unleashed. The first to decode it can ask any question about the story, and I will answer it honestly. Have fun!


End file.
